1/2 cup of Smokey Balsamic Vinaigrette (If you cannot find Smokey Balsamic Vinaigrette, you can use regular balsamic vinaigrette with paprika and a splash of apple cider vinegar)

4 Tbsp of Whole Seed Brown Mustard

Ground Pepper

Garlic Powder

Skewers for assembling

​Directions:1. Marinate the steak into the balsamic vinaigrette, ground pepper, garlic powder, and whole seed brown mustard for 8 hours in the fridge prior to cooking. 2. After the meat is done marinating, cut the onions, bell peppers, and butternut squash into small chunks and set aside.3. Cut flank steak into small square-inch sized chunks and set aside.4. Assemble the steak and vegetables on the skewers as pictured below.5. Bake the skewers at 400 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven for 45 minutes6. Enjoy :)

This colorful bowl takes 10 minutes or less to make, and it is filled with tons of vitamins and minerals. When educating kids about nutrition, I usually tell them to, "Eat the Rainbow," because fruits and vegetables each carry a different variety of vitamins and minerals. In order to maximize your nutritional gain in one meal, try to eat as many colors of fruits and vegetables as possible. This bowl is also filled with protein from the hummus, quinoa, and pumpkin seeds, and tons of fiber so it will keep you nourished and satisfied throughout the day.

Ingredients:

1 Zucchini Squash

2 Tbsp Beet Hummus (I bought mine at Trader Joe's)

1 Lemon

1/2 cup edamame

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup roasted butternut squash

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1/2 cup red quinoa, already cooked

1/2 Avocado

Directions:​1. Spiralize the zucchini squash. You can do this with a spiralizer at home, or you can usually buy these pre-spiraled at the grocery store.​​2. Slice the avocado in halves. Cutting avocados can be tricky. I like to cut a line through the "Prime Meridian" of the avocado (lengthwise) and then twist each side of the avocado in opposite directions to break them apart. Usually with perfectly ripened avocados, you get an even, clean split. Note that when you are buying avocados, try to find ones that are already black and are easy to dent a fingerprint into the skin. These are likely ripe enough to eat right away. If you do find avocados that are not ripened, place them in a brown bag with a banana, and they will ripen more quickly.

Was your New Year's Resolution to get up early and make a well-thought out breakfast meal before work? Well, if you are like me, after a few weeks the snooze button on my alarm has diminished this resolution and I quickly find myself grabbing for something healthy on my way out the door. One recipe that may help you in these situations are these adorable and tasty mini omelets! Breakfasts with high protein foods like eggs will help keep you full throughout the morning to fight off the mid-morning hanger. These are also low in fat, fibrous, and they take only 20 minutes to produce 8 days worth of breakfasts!

Whisk the eggs, paprika, ground pepper, and garlic powder into a large bowl.

Add the peppers, feta cheese to the egg mixture and stir evenly throughout.

Pour the egg mixture halfway up in each muffin tin compartment in the tray.

Top off each egg muffin with 1 cherry tomato some sprinkled scallions before baking.

Bake for 20 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, when they are done, the eggs should appear fluffy, and if you placed a toothpick through one, it should come out clean.

Last year I had the privilege of experiencing this healthy food trend firsthand when I visited family in Southern Norway. The following are some excerpts of my personal experience in Norway and some of the observations I gathered regarding its cuisine and lifestyle habits.

The picture below is a typical Norwegian breakfast- whole grain WASA crackers, thinly sliced cheese or seafood spread, and fruit and vegetables. I really enjoy this breakfast because I usually find it difficult in America to incorporate vegetables into my morning. It was also very high in fiber from the whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, so it kept me full and satisfied throughout the morning.

I am still sad to admit that I do not have any pictures of my lunches and dinners while in Norway. They were so delicious that I ate them before I could take a picture. (HA!) One night, my sister-in-law made a traditional Norwegian meatball dish with brown sauce, roasted sweet potatoes and asparagus that was out of this world. My other favorite dish was the salmon- so fresh and tender! Through our conversations, I also learned that root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and turnips are very popular in Norway, and they usually comprise most soups and side dishes.

Exercise

One of my favorite parts about Norway was the scenery- huge mountains, deep blue water, and gorgeous landscapes. In the summertime, it was usually 50-60 degrees in the early mornings, and afternoons would peak around 75-80 degrees, with no humidity. The weather and scenery made it perfect for going on evening walks, and mid-afternoon hikes. One of my favorite days in Norway was biking alongside the Norwegian Sea in the morning and then later hiking with my husband and brother-in-law in the mountains, picking wild blueberries along the side of the path. The blueberries were so refreshing and flavorful!

Picking fresh blueberries on our hike.

Home Cooked Meals

What I found most impressive, however, was the fact that mostly every meal, sauce, marinade, bread, smoothie...etc was homemade with whole food ingredients, and not pre-made with artificial flavors. As opposed to the United States, dining out, grabbing fast food, or purchasing frozen ready-to-eat meals is not as feasible in Norway. For example, a Big Mac at McDonald's in the United States is about $3.50-4 dollars, whereas, in Norway, it is approximately $12 for the same meal. For this reason, most Norwegians cook their meals at home, which also further promotes eating less salty, convenience foods that are linked to heart diseases, obesity, and other health-related problems.

Bringing it Home

While no particular cuisine is magical, or perfect for everyone, I do highly favor the Norwegian-style of eating because of its emphasis on natural, whole food ingredients, and its limited amounts of added salts and sugars. Researchers have also recently started to see the benefits of the Nordic Cuisine as well. Although longterm research has not been thoroughly studied on the Nordic Diet, some recent studies have already shown decreased blood pressure benefits from this consuming this type of cuisine. For an easy-to-read, thorough, evidenced-based review on the specifics of the Nordic Diet, feel free to visit the Authority Nutrition website for more information.

​If you are looking for new recipes that are nutrient dense and filled with flavor, feel free to try a Nordic recipe this week! And better yet, popular Nordic produce such as berries, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, turnips are all cheaper, fresher, and more available during these last winter months, so grab them while they are still in season!

One of the common threads of nutrition advice that we hear nowadays is to "avoid processed foods." Before we jump to conclusions, though, we need to learn exactly what the term "processed food" actually mean.​According to the International Food and Information Council (IFIC), a processed food is defined as having, " any deliberate change in a food that occurs before it’s available for us to eat." (Find link here to read more). The article continues with mentioning that even foods with nutrient claims such as, "low fat," "high in fiber," or "organic" are also considered processed because they were handled (cut, enriched, fortified, frozen, freeze dried, packaged, harvested...etc) in a way that makes the food ready for us to eat.

So let me ask, do you like eating freshly cut fruit, quinoa, hummus, oats, yogurt, or chia seeds? Then you like "processed foods" because cutting fruit, harvesting grains and seeds, grinding up chickpeas and sesame seeds for hummus, and pasteurizing yogurt all are forms of processing.

Given these definitions, processed foods actually are not necessarily all unhealthy. The trick is to find the right processed foods that are nutritious as well as convenient to find. I included my own personal Snack Go-To List below to assist with finding healthy snacks anywhere- in fully stocked grocery stores to convenience stores, small cafeterias, or remote gas stations. Sometimes there are limited options, and I will not always fit the criteria for everything on this list, but trying to stay as close to this reference as possible helps me to stay grounded with my decisions.

As we prepare for a New Year, its easy to look back on 2016 and think about what we accomplished, what we wished we could have accomplished, and what we would like to accomplish in 2017. As we look back on 2016, were there some "New Year's Resolutions" that started off great, but ended up being abandoned? If the answer is yes, we may now find ourselves repeating the same resolutions again for 2017, am I right? Are the doubts starting to set in making us wondering what will make this year's resolution success different from last year's?

Well the good news is that we are not alone.

A Forbe's magazine online article dated back to 2013 showed that only 8% of Americans maintained their "New Year's Resolutions" for the entire year. Now you may be thinking, "If people are choosing their own goals to accomplish, why does the success rate appear so low?" Some may argue that we, as people, aren't motivated enough, or are too lazy to accomplish a goal. Contrastingly, I believe that we are extremely motivated- if we weren't motivated, we wouldn't set a goal for ourselves! However, I believe that the key to accomplishing a goal is to set it in a way that allows us to accomplish it. Ensuring that the goal is specific, attainable, and relevant to our interests will increase our likelihood for sucess, and it will keep us motivated throughout the year.

The S.M.A.R.T Goal Setting framework is a common, but extremely successful way to set goals in almost any environment. It is often used in the workplace to accomplish tasks, but I like to use it in my nutrition counseling sessions with clients, as well as in my own life as I set my day-today resolutions, week-to-week resolutions, or New Year's Resolutions. See how it works below:

SMART Goals stand for:

Specific - use action verbs to truly identify what you would like to accomplish.

Bad Example: I want to be thin.

Good Example: I want to lose weight.

Measurable- quantify your goal so that you have a target

Bad Example: I want to lose more weight.

Good Example: I want to lose 10 pounds.

Attainable- make this goal achievable and realistic to accomplish

Bad Example: I want to lose 10 pounds by exercising for 6 hours a day.

Good Example: I want to lose 10 pounds by exercising for 45 minutes at least 3 times per week.

Relevant- be sure to keep this goal in line with your overall ambition to be healthier

Bad Example: I want to lose 10 pounds by skipping meals.

Good Example: I want to lose 10 pounds by adhering to recommended portion sizes at meals and snacks.

Timely- have a deadline to your goal to keep you on task. If the goal is not met by this deadline maybe you need to reevaluate the timeline.

Bad Example: I want to lose 10 pounds in 3 days.

Good Example: I want to lose 10 pounds in 3 months.

Putting it all together: Using the framework above, see how your original goal transformed into a plan.

Original goal: I want to be thin

SMART Goal: I want to lose 10 pounds in 3 months by exercising for 45 minutes at least 3 times per week, and by adhering to recommended portion sizes at meals and snacks.

Other New Year's Resolution SMART Goal Examples:

I want sleep for at least 8 hours per night for 5 out of 7 nights per week by going to sleep by 10 PM.

I want to read 1 book in 30 days by reading at least 1 chapter per night over the next month.

I want to hold a plank for 5 minutes straight in 2 weeks by increasing my plank time by 30 seconds every two days.

People often tell me that they order takeout because they do not have time to cook their meals. As a working woman myself, I can definitely sympathize with the desire for more time as well, especially around a hectic holiday season. On the other hand, I have found that the time it takes to order and pick up the foods usually averages above 10-20 minutes, and most meals can be made at home in much less time than that! This recipe today is a perfect example. With less than 10 minutes to make, this healthier alterative to typical high sodium stir-frys will leave you feeling full and satisfied. Its high protein and fiber content will keep you full, and its spicy kick will satisfy your tastebuds without the need to add salt. Try to make this Monday for a Meatless Monday dish, or on a busy night when you are pressed for time.

Ingredients:

1 Medium-Sized Cauliflower, Riced (You can buy this pre-riced, or you can grind up the cauliflower in a food processor/blender until it reaches the rice texture)

2 Red Bell Peppers

1 Yellow Onion, Diced

1/2 cup Edamame, Shelled

2 Tbsp of Citrus Habenero Olive Oil (You can find this flavor at most local olive oil stores, but you can also use regular Olive Oil as well)

Directions:

Heat the Olive Oil on medium heat until the oil spreads easily around the pan.

Add onions, and saute until they appear translucent in color

Add bell peppers, cauliflower, and edamame

*Note that edamame is a great alternative to meat for a source of protein. One 1/2 cup serving has 16 grams of protein, which is almost the same as 3-4 ounces of chicken breast.

Continue cooking until the onions, or cauliflower start to brown. Then remove from heat.

As we head closer to winter, we start to think about flu season and sicknesses that tend to appear in the colder months. So how do we keep our immune system strong to fight these germs?? Minimize our risks from free radicals! Free radicals are unpaired electrons that are capable of damaging cells and tissues in our bodies and could lead to increased risks for illnesses. Luckily, research has shown that foods rich in antioxidants have the ability to fight these free radicals.

Some of the foods richest in antioxidants are berries, in particular ones with dark red/blue/purple colors like raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries. Recent research suggests that the phytochemical, anthocyanin, which gives the foods the purple/red/blue hue, may help in reducing oxidative stress on the body, preventing cognitive decline and memory losses, and decreasing risks for developing cardiovascular disease. The Flu-Fighting Oatmeal recipe below is packed with anthocyanin antioxidant power to fuel you through the flu-season and beyond!

"I had no symptoms. I found out that I had kidney disease through routine lab tests. I was 25."

The quote above was from one of today's guest speakers at the National Kidney Foundation Capital Area Walk, who shared about how his diagnosis with chronic kidney disease instantly turned his life upside-down. The walk's purpose today was to raise awareness about chronic kidney disease (CKD), to support people with CKD, and to raise funds for the National Kidney Foundation. It was so great to stand with so many people early in the morning to gather together in support of a great cause. The several guest speakers like the one above shared their personal stories about having CKD, the struggles that come with it, and for some, the victories of living today with a successful transplant. It was a very enlightening experience and it was also very encouraging to hear more about the National Kidney Foundation's great advances that have helped people with CKD over many years.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, approximately 26 million Americans have chronic kidney disease, and many people do not find out until the disease progresses to its end stages. Currently the main two causes of chronic kidney disease are diabetes and hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. While there are several other risk factors, I learned from my nutritional studies that these two particular conditions were rising, and I decided early on in my career that I wanted to get more involved as a dietitian with people with chronic kidney disease.

Over this past summer I changed jobs to work at a dialysis center in Washington D.C. so that I could learn more about how nutrition could help people with advanced chronic kidney disease. In the past few months I have definitely learned so much more about therapeutic nutrition and evidenced-based guidelines for this population, but the most valuable part of my job so far has been making connections with patients and broadening my perspective about what the daily life is like for a person with end stage renal disease. I have learned that very simple thoughts can quickly become much more complicated when you have chronic kidney disease. For example, when planning for an upcoming weekend, the following thoughts might cross your mind:

"Let's try out that new restaurant tonight!""Let's hit the beach this weekend." "Let's meet up at the stadium for Saturday's game."

People with chronic kidney disease may also have those thoughts as well, but they are usually followed with additional questions like the following:"Let's try out that new restaurant tonight!" "Will the new restaurant offer anything renal-friendly that I can eat?""Let's hit the beach this weekend." "Are there any dialysis centers near the beach so that I can go to my Saturday treatment?" "If I go in the water, will my access area become infected?""Let's meet up at the stadium for the game." "Will I be too tired after dialysis to go to the game?" "Is the weather going to be too hot? I might drink too much water if I am thirsty."

While additional questions may vary from person to person, I have learned that successfully managing a chronic disease like kidney disease requires constant attention, daily adjustments, and extra planning. Not only is this time consuming, but it can also be mentally tolling. If you know anyone with chronic kidney disease, I ask that you encourage them and show them how much you support them and all of their daily efforts battling their disease.

If you would like to learn more about chronic kidney disease, please visit the National Kidney Foundation website at https://www.kidney.org/

About Me

I am a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, and a self-proclaimed foodie currently living in Washington D.C. I genuinely want to help people enjoy healthy eating. I hope that through my blog you will learn a bit more about nutrition, share with me in my love-hate relationship for exercise, eat well, and feel good :)﻿